Friday, 23 January 2009

Coming up Sunday morning
The first ACTMA monthly handicap of 2009 starts at 8.30am at Campbell Park. Distances are 3k/6k. To get there, turn off Fairbairn Avenue at Northcott Drive and follow the road right around the outside of the car park to the northeast corner.

Coming down Thursday night
The rain came down in the one hour run before we had got a third of the way. And I mean fierce storms. At twenty minutes, lightning drove us off the track and forced cancellation of the event.

Earlier Amanda ran a 1500m within 3 seconds of her pb a fortnight ago, despite the muggy conditions, the gale blowing from the north-west, and being caught by herself in the middle of the field. There are not many who run in the 5:20 to 5:40 range on Thursday nights; most are around 5 minutes or 6 minutes.

My lap splits in the hour were 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, close enough, to give me 20:00 at 12 laps. My plan was to do an even paced tempo run for 10k: 5k in 20:50, 10k in 41:40, then see what I could do from there. I felt comfortable at 12 laps (water logged and all) but that doesn't mean I would have still been OK at 25; the wheels can suddenly fall off in a one hour run. I was fortunate that Richard and Steve and another guy were running the same pace; I was able to sit in, as well briefly taking my turn leading.

up in Sydney, speedygosling Jeni Greenland who passed her final exams last year, has decided to stay put, she had originally planned to move to Binalong. But she will remain in Sydney and is starting her own physio business in June, at a gym. She hopes to be next in Canberra for the Stromlo Running Festival (which is from 27 Feb to 1 March) but doesn't expect to make it back here very often this year..

down in MelbourneSonia ran a 6 second pb for the 1500m last weekend, 5:29, and was planning to race 5k on the track last night. This is all new territory for her! The 1500m was her second one and the 5k will have been her first. I will find out her 5k time and let you know. [edit: 20.28. Well done!] There is pressure on her to get points for the club! I do hope they are taking care of our Sonia.

Sonia has read the book by Haruki Murakami that I sent her as a prize for the 50,000th visit to this blog, and she says:I finished "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" over Christmas in Canberra and really enjoyed it. It was fantastic to really get inside another runners head and I often found myself thinking "that's what I think about when I am running too". One of his running philosophies is "pain is unavoidable, suffering is optional" and it is this approach to running that I am going to embrace in 2009.

Haruki commented on people telling him he was "good" for running or exercising in general. He believes that being good has very little to do about it, he simply has to run and that is that. He also never tries to get people to run, you are either a runner or you aren't and no one will be able to convince you otherwise. Haruki doesn't run with anyone either, preferring his own company and a walkman! He seems to be perfectly designed for long distance running, although he is not very fast he is incredibly consistent and suffers few injuries.

So now I am inspired and I am training for the Melbourne marathon in October!